Exploring the Impact of Decision-Making, Spirituality, Social Participation, Discrimination, and Functional Difficulty on Depression and Life Satisfaction among the Elderly in India: An Application of Structural Equation Modeling.

Bijoy Bhattacharjee, Indian Institute of Technology Patna
Aditya Raj, Indian Institute of Technology Patna

Objective: This study examines how decision-making roles, spirituality, social participation, discrimination, functional difficulty, and selected socioeconomic factors affect depression and life satisfaction among elderly individuals in India. Methods: Data from the “Longitudinal Ageing Study in India” (LASI), including 30,587 participants aged 60 and above, were analyzed. Depression and life satisfaction were the outcome variables. Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted initially, followed by covariance-based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to explore the relationships between these outcomes and the underlying factors. Results: Depression was significantly positively affected by decision-making roles, functional difficulties, and wealth status. Conversely, spirituality, social participation, and living arrangements had significant negative impacts on depression. For life satisfaction, positive influences were observed from decision-making roles, spirituality, social participation, wealth, and years of schooling. Negative impacts on life satisfaction were attributed to discrimination, functional difficulties, and depression. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of spirituality and social participation in enhancing life satisfaction and reducing depression. Addressing functional difficulties and discrimination is crucial for improving mental health and life satisfaction. Policy interventions and community programs that promote well-being and social engagement, while reducing discrimination, could significantly enhance the well-being of elderly individuals in India.

Keywords: Population Ageing, Older Adults and Intergenerational Relations

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